A city near Tokyo is using AI to boost sales of locally caught shirauo, otherwise known as Japanese icefish.
The mayor of Namegata in Ibaraki Prefecture says the city collaborated with businesses on an AI-equipped camera. The device can quickly assess the quality of the fish, which are caught in Lake Kasumigaura.
City officials sent the information with samples of the fish to around 70 stores and restaurants. The result was 9 new sales channels in Tokyo.
The mayor says the AI assessment convinced the buyers that the product was fresh. He says the fish sold for up to 5 times the local retail price.
Namegata's icefish industry has been struggling in recent years, with prices stagnant and fishing crews increasingly shorthanded.
The city says it's also working on a new distribution method that will keep the fish fresh in transit.
The mayor of Namegata in Ibaraki Prefecture says the city collaborated with businesses on an AI-equipped camera. The device can quickly assess the quality of the fish, which are caught in Lake Kasumigaura.
City officials sent the information with samples of the fish to around 70 stores and restaurants. The result was 9 new sales channels in Tokyo.
The mayor says the AI assessment convinced the buyers that the product was fresh. He says the fish sold for up to 5 times the local retail price.
Namegata's icefish industry has been struggling in recent years, with prices stagnant and fishing crews increasingly shorthanded.
The city says it's also working on a new distribution method that will keep the fish fresh in transit.
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Summary
City of Namegata in Ibaraki Prefecture collaborates with businesses to use AI-equipped cameras for assessing quality of locally caught shirauo (Japanese icefish). This data, along with fish samples, is sent to approximately 70 stores and restaurants in Tokyo. The initiative results in 9 new sales
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ID: 76b291c6-b214-4763-893a-b43306586112
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231201_22/
Date: Dec. 1, 2023
Created: 2023/12/01 18:08
Updated: 2025/12/08 20:47
Last Read: 2023/12/02 08:24